What type of grad filter for bright landscapes

G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

All,

Looking to buy a graduated filter of some type to give me a little more
latitude when taking well lit landscapes - specifically beach and mountain
scenes.

Is there any particular recommendation for this ?

Camera is a Nikon D70 with a variety of 77m diameter lenses. I'm thinking of
getting a Cokin filter holder and just dropping a -2 Garduated ND filter
into that.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

adm wrote:
>
> All,
>
> Looking to buy a graduated filter of some type to give me a little more
> latitude when taking well lit landscapes - specifically beach and mountain
> scenes.
>
> Is there any particular recommendation for this ?
>
> Camera is a Nikon D70 with a variety of 77m diameter lenses. I'm thinking of
> getting a Cokin filter holder and just dropping a -2 Garduated ND filter
> into that.

The Cokin holders are good, for the price, and much cheaper than the
better square filter holders. But the Cokin grads are not quite
"neutral" in color. A lot of people use Cokin holders and better brands
of filters. I used to use the excellent HiTech square/rectangular
filters. Now I do two exposures and blend them, for superior results
without the headache of dust magnet plastic filters.

Lisa
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 17:08:30 -0000, "adm" <adm1@fastmail.fm> wrote:

>All,
>
>Looking to buy a graduated filter of some type to give me a little more
>latitude when taking well lit landscapes - specifically beach and mountain
>scenes.
>
>Is there any particular recommendation for this ?
>
>Camera is a Nikon D70 with a variety of 77m diameter lenses. I'm thinking of
>getting a Cokin filter holder and just dropping a -2 Garduated ND filter
>into that.

Have you cosidered duplicate images (obviously tripod mounted and a
static (nothing easily seen affected by breeze or movement) scene)?
Perhaps auto bracketing a stop or two depending on the difference in
lighting, then alligning them as layers in an imaging program such as
Photoshop. This allows for a lot more latitude of graduation between
layers. I have done it a few times and am very happy with the results.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

As far as Cokin goes, they are good for starters but you must be
careful with them because they are basically plastic they scratch
easily. As you get more proficient you can sell off the Cokin and get
good glass filters like those in www.singh-ray.com. Also keep in mind
that the "A" series only fit smaller lens thread sizes (up to 55mm
I believe) so if you get a lens with a larger thread sizes you will
need to upgrade to the Cokin "P" size which fits up to 82mm.
Regards,
Gary Hendricks
www.basic-digital-photography.com
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

As far as Cokin goes, they are good for starters but you must be
careful with them because they are basically plastic they scratch
easily. As you get more proficient you can sell off the Cokin and get
good glass filters like those in www.singh-ray.com. Also keep in mind
that the "A" series only fit smaller lens thread sizes (up to 55mm
I believe) so if you get a lens with a larger thread sizes you will
need to upgrade to the Cokin "P" size which fits up to 82mm.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 23:17:16 GMT, no_email@please_post.net (ZONED!)
wrote:

>On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 17:08:30 -0000, "adm" <adm1@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>
>>All,
>>
>>Looking to buy a graduated filter of some type to give me a little more
>>latitude when taking well lit landscapes - specifically beach and mountain
>>scenes.
>>
>>Is there any particular recommendation for this ?
>>
>>Camera is a Nikon D70 with a variety of 77m diameter lenses. I'm thinking of
>>getting a Cokin filter holder and just dropping a -2 Garduated ND filter
>>into that.
>
>Have you cosidered duplicate images (obviously tripod mounted and a
>static (nothing easily seen affected by breeze or movement) scene)?
>Perhaps auto bracketing a stop or two depending on the difference in
>lighting, then alligning them as layers in an imaging program such as
>Photoshop. This allows for a lot more latitude of graduation between
>layers. I have done it a few times and am very happy with the results.

This is my preferred solution. It takes a little longer than popping a
filter on but it gives you much more control.

You can also add grad filters with just one image (if that's all you
took, or the landscape was moving...). Duplicate the image layer,
create a mask on the duplicated layer and add a graduated fill to the
mask. Now, select the image part of the duplicated layer and make
whatever artistic modification is required (including
Image/Adjustments/Photo Filter)

--
Owamanga!
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

In article <41C46EB7.2DC003B9@lisahorton.net>, Lisa091704@lisahorton.net
says...
> Now I do two exposures and blend them, for superior results
> without the headache of dust magnet plastic filters.

How do you determine your two exposure settings? Do you meter one off
the sky and one off the landscape? Take an averaged metering across the
scene and then plus or minus some number of stops?

--
Charles Jones (charlesj@frii.com)
Loveland, Colorado
AIM: LovelandCharles
ICQ: 29610755
MSN: charlesj68@passport.com
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Charles Jones wrote:
>
> In article <41C46EB7.2DC003B9@lisahorton.net>, Lisa091704@lisahorton.net
> says...
> > Now I do two exposures and blend them, for superior results
> > without the headache of dust magnet plastic filters.
>
> How do you determine your two exposure settings? Do you meter one off
> the sky and one off the landscape? Take an averaged metering across the
> scene and then plus or minus some number of stops?
>

I do the first, I make an exposure that will not overexpose the sky, and
I make an exposure that will not underexpose the shadows or dark areas.
I feel that is the only way to get the best results. Any sort of
bracketing or arbitrary plus/minus is little better than guessing, as
one may be dealing with a dynamic range that is a little more than the
camera can do, or a LOT more than the camera can do. Each situation
requires a different "spread" between the highlight and shadow exposures
in order to yield the highest quality results.

Lisa
 

Clyde

Distinguished
Apr 10, 2004
51
0
18,580
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Why use a grad filter on landscapes at all? If you are shooting
landscapes, shoot 2 or 3 exposures to capture everything. Then blend
them in Photoshop. This way you won't get anything like trees with
different exposures above and below the horizon/grad line.

Clyde
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 14:35:24 GMT, Clyde <lughclyde@attbi.comedy>
wrote:

>Why use a grad filter on landscapes at all? If you are shooting
>landscapes, shoot 2 or 3 exposures to capture everything. Then blend
>them in Photoshop. This way you won't get anything like trees with
>different exposures above and below the horizon/grad line.
>
>Clyde
Just curious if you read the whole thread before answering.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 09:01:29 -0700, Charles Jones <charlesj@frii.com>
wrote:

>
>How do you determine your two exposure settings? Do you meter one off
>the sky and one off the landscape?

Yes, that will allow you to easily reproduce any standard grad filter
effect. Since my camera will auto bracket, I find an average and set
steps to one or two stops. This of course depends on the amount of
difference needed. If you have the media, shoot more than one auto
bracket. If you use photoshop or similar you can easily adjyust each
image more perfectly before sandwiching them as layers.

>Take an averaged metering across the
>scene and then plus or minus some number of stops?
>
>--
>Charles Jones (charlesj@frii.com)
>Loveland, Colorado
>AIM: LovelandCharles
>ICQ: 29610755
>MSN: charlesj68@passport.com
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"Owamanga" <nomail@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6ends05pf7afbuhq4mslme0pa5kvijsjp5@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 23:17:16 GMT, no_email@please_post.net (ZONED!)
> wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 17:08:30 -0000, "adm" <adm1@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>>
>>>All,
>>>
>>>Looking to buy a graduated filter of some type to give me a little more
>>>latitude when taking well lit landscapes - specifically beach and
>>>mountain
>>>scenes.
>>>
>>>Is there any particular recommendation for this ?
>>>
>>>Camera is a Nikon D70 with a variety of 77m diameter lenses. I'm thinking
>>>of
>>>getting a Cokin filter holder and just dropping a -2 Garduated ND filter
>>>into that.
>>
>>Have you cosidered duplicate images (obviously tripod mounted and a
>>static (nothing easily seen affected by breeze or movement) scene)?
>>Perhaps auto bracketing a stop or two depending on the difference in
>>lighting, then alligning them as layers in an imaging program such as
>>Photoshop. This allows for a lot more latitude of graduation between
>>layers. I have done it a few times and am very happy with the results.

To be honest, I have considered multiple exposures. Thinking I should meter
for the sky on one, and the foreground on another then combine in PS, but i
have never got around to it because I tend to only carry a monopod and can't
keep it stable enough.

I really need a decent new tripod. The one i have is shite - it's about a
£20 one from ten years ago.

>
> This is my preferred solution. It takes a little longer than popping a
> filter on but it gives you much more control.

>
> You can also add grad filters with just one image (if that's all you
> took, or the landscape was moving...). Duplicate the image layer,
> create a mask on the duplicated layer and add a graduated fill to the
> mask. Now, select the image part of the duplicated layer and make
> whatever artistic modification is required (including
> Image/Adjustments/Photo Filter)

I'm just getting used to the shadow/highlights tool at the mo. It works
pretty well and has saved a few shots for me already. I've used PS on and
off for five years or so - and never even knew it was there before !

Thinking about it, the multiple exposure route seems the way to go. Gives
me an excuse to buy a new tripod as well.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

<gary_hendricks@digital-music-guide.com> wrote in message
news:1103553613.698890.58400@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> As far as Cokin goes, they are good for starters but you must be
> careful with them because they are basically plastic they scratch
> easily. As you get more proficient you can sell off the Cokin and get
> good glass filters like those in www.singh-ray.com. Also keep in mind
> that the "A" series only fit smaller lens thread sizes (up to 55mm
> I believe) so if you get a lens with a larger thread sizes you will
> need to upgrade to the Cokin "P" size which fits up to 82mm.
> Regards,
> Gary Hendricks
> www.basic-digital-photography.com

Most of my lenses are 77mm - so I figured just to go for the "P" anyway. I
already know how expensive good glass filters are for those, so was kind of
thinking the Cokin stuff might be good to mess around with without it
costing too much.

Thanks for that Sing-Ray link. Looks interesting - maybe I should have put a
"Vari-ND" on my Christmas list.


>